Filing cabinet



May 28- 1940- J. R. CLARK FILING CABINET Filed oet. 24, 193s 5Sheets-Sheet 1 l In n ff M W 3 L x d May 28, 1940' J. R. CLARK i2,202,088

FILING CABINET Filed Oct. 24, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Jg 2.3) 2,1

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FILING CABINET Filed oct. 24. 19:56 5 sheets-sheet 5 l e@ a5 my l@deze/Z521 Jmes CMf/c LMMMffM;

May 28 1940 J. R. CLARK 2,202,088

FILING CABINET v v 4 Filed USt. 24, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 tif l@MAZ/kami@ Ma? 28 1940- J. R. CLARK 2,202,088

FILING CABINET Filed Oct. 24, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 f2 7i 70. i2 I9 7J72 di? @W4-Z! y )Aww MMV/@@MA @d i I 75 iff.. f?

Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES- I ATENT OFFICE azoaos mme. CABINETAppucauon octobenzc, 193s, snm No. 101,312 'I claims. (cI. Ica-,16)

My invention relates to ling cabinets and especially filing cabinetshaving drawersadapted to receive transversely disposed file folders andguides therefor. Many of the features of my invention are concerned withthe so-called expanding type of filing cabinet drawer where, withoutincreasing the depth of the cabinet, the effective depth of the drawer,when opened, may be increased to permit a generous V open- 1I) ing orswinging apart of the le guides and holders to facilitate the inspectionof the Vdesired folder and its contents. Heretofore such expanding hasbeen secured by pivoting the drawer front at its lower end to swingoutwardly.

Among the objects of my invention are: The

provision of an expanding drawer of more economical, sturdier and morepositive construction, smoother and quieter in operation; a powermultiplying leverage mechanism for facilitating the ready expansion ofthe drawer with less effort;

an improved latch and improved general lock fory an expanding drawer; animproved automatically operating front compressorand actuating-mechanism therefor; an expanding drawer fitting a standard cabinet madefor a plain or nonexpanding drawer; an improved mounting for the casestrip of the extensible drawer suspension; and an improved mounting forthe cabinetcarried latch member of the drawer latch.

The foregoing, together with further objects,4

advantages and features of my invention are set forth in the followingdescription of a specific embodiment thereof and illustrated in theaccgmpanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective View of theupper portion of a iilingcabinet embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical section through the upper portion of the filingcabinet of Fig. 1, taken in a plane within the right wall of thecabinet, but without the right wall of the drawer, and showing the upperdrawer in closed position and the lower drawer in open and expandedposition;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to the upper portionof Fig. 2, but along the longitudinal center line of the drawer;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the drawer in extendedand expanded position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through a drawer, taken on the line 5-5of Fig. 4 and looking forwardly;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical longitudinal section of the drawer front andfront compressor, taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 'I is a plancross-section of the rear right corner of the cabinet and the associateddrawer. showing an optional detent catch for resiliently holding backthe body of the drawer until the drawer has been expanded by a forwardextension of the extensible front portion of the drawer, 5 the sectionbeing taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse section through the drawer and adjacentportion of the cabinet,- taken on the irregular line 5 8 of Fig. 3 andshowing the rear compressor in rear elevation; 10

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through the lowerfront corner of the drawer, on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a bottom view, on reduced scale, of the forward portion ofthe drawer; l5

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section of the drawer,taken on the line II-ll lof Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a perspective View looking from the interior toward theinside of the left wall of the 20 cabinet, showing the case strip forthe drawer suspension and the cabinet-carried latch member;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section through the casestrip and cabinet-car- 25 ried latch member, taken on the line I3|3 ofFig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan section through the drawer, in closedposition, and associated forward left-hand corner of the cabinet, show-30 ing the latch mechanism and front compressor and taken on the line II-Il of Figs. 3 and 5;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan section of the rear right corner of thecabinet, taken on the line I5-I5 of Fig. 2, immediately below the top 35of the cabinet;

Fig. 16 is agfragmentary vertical transverse section through theright-hand drawer suspension, taken on the line IG-IG of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of a modified form 40 of pivotal mountingfor the rear compressor.

The filing cabinet indicated generally at 2li embodying my invention,comprises side walls 2 i a rear wall 22 and a top 23. Each side wall atits forward edge is turned around the forward edge 45 of achannel-shaped front upright 24 while the rearward edge is turnedrearwardly to embrace the edge of the back 22 and is supported by anL-shaped rear upright 25. Horizontal front cross rails 26 of hollowrectangular cross-section are 50 secured between the front uprghts 24tol define the upper and lower margins of the drawer openings. Casestrips 21 (Fig. 12), of channel crosssection, for the drawer suspensionare mounted above the cross rails 28 and secured at their re 55 spectiveendsto the front and rear uprights 24 and 25. At its rear end, each casestrip is secured to the associated rear upright 25 by an outwardlyoffset tongue 29 struck out from the web of the channel and entering aslot 29 in the adjacent wall of the upright 25. The tongue 28 is engagedin the slot 29 by a rearward movement of .the case strip. The forwardend of thecase strip is supported in the adjacent front upright 24 bydownwardly directed and outwardly offset tongues 90 which enter slots 3|in the inner face of the web of the upright 24. After the tongue 29 hasbeen engaged -by rearward movement of the case strip, the tongues 30 areengaged by lateral and downward movement. 'I'hen the case strip islocked in vposition by a cap screw 32.

Referring to the transverse section of Fig. 8, the intermediate orfloating drawer suspension channel 33 carrying the rollers 34 works inthe case strip 21 and slidingly receives the outwardly directedsupporting flange 35 secured along the bottom edge of the drawerdesignated generally as 36.

Still referring to the vertical transverse section of Fig. 8, the drawercomprises a bottom 31 having the usual depressed channel 38 along itsmiddle for the reception of the protruding locking tabs of the fileguides and drawer sides 39, the upper edges of which are formed intooffset channels 40. The drawer also includes a rear wall 4I as indicatedin Fig. 3. 'I'hese bottom, side and end walls 31, 39 and 4| constitutethe body or main portion of the drawer. The drawer front 42 also carriesa bottom wall 31', sides 39' and upper channels 40' for the sides. Theseside and bottom walls are generally similar to th'e associated side andbottom walls of the main portion of the drawer and are adapted totelescope therewith and extend rearwardly from the drawer front,preferably about 40% of the normal length of the drawer, to provide along telescoping bearing and consequent sturdiness of alignment betweenthe extensible and main portions of the drawer. The mating side channelportions 49 and 40"' preferably constitute the principalweight-sustaining telescoping bearing for the extensible front portionof the drawer. This telescoping relation is best illustrated in thetransverse vertical section of Fig. 5.

The supporting flange 35 for the drawer suspension is secured only tothe rearward portion of the drawer; it need have no counterpart in theforward or extensible portion. The upturned marginal edge 43 of thedrawer bottom 31, which is secured as by spot welding to the bottomportion of the drawer side 39, is preferably outwardly offset at itsupper edge to provide a slot 44 in which the lower edge of theextensible drawer'side 39' reciprocates. This is shown in Fig. 5. Thebottom 31 of the extensible or front portion of the drawer comprises apair of laterally spaced members, one on each side of the channel 38,and these work in closed ways 45 defined by the lower surface of thedrawer bottom 31, longitudinally disposed inner spacing strips 46,secured as by spot welding, to the undersides of the drawer bottom 31,the horizontal anges of the Z-shaped drawer supporting anges 35previously mentioned, which horizontal flanges act as outer spacers, andbottom plates 41, secured as by spot welding, to the spacers 46 and theZ-shaped iiange members 35. 'I'he ways 45 eectively keep the forwardportion of the drawer in alignment,

if desired, but preferably it is free, thereby aftording someflexibility to oset any manufacturing variations. Each side wall 39' isfixed at its forward edge to the drawer front 42 by securing it,

as by spot welding, to the rearwardly directed v vertical flange 5I ofthe laterally protruding hollow portion 52 at the lateral edge of thefront wall 49 of the drawer front. This is illustrated best in Fig. 14and in general follows the construction shown in the applicant Clarksprevious Patent No. 1,963,954 of June 26, 1934, except, of course, thatthere the drawer was non-telescoping and did not have overlapping sides.

A drawer handle 53 conveniently centrally located is provided on thedrawer front.

The forward movement of the main body of the drawer is limited by theextensible suspension for the drawer in the usual manner, by stops onthe floating or intermediate suspension channel 33, and need not here bedescribed. Forward extension of the drawer front and the sides andbottom fixed thereto, relative to the rear or main portion of thedrawer, is limited by stops 54 struck down from the bottom portions 31',as shown in Figs. 9 and l0, which engage against the vrearward edges ofthe bottom plates 41 defining the ways 45. Inward telescoping of thefront and rear portions of the drawer is limited bythe forward edges ofthe drawer sides 39 and bottom 31 abutting the drawer front, arelationship shown, for example, in Fig. 3. Inward movement of thedrawer body withim the cabinet is limited by a rubber bumper 4 I whichmay be carried by either the back wall of the cabinet or the back wall4Iof the drawer body.

When the drawer is closed and the handle 53 is pulled outwardly, eitherthe extensible front portion of the drawer pulls out rst and thencatches the rear or body portion of the drawer and pulls it along, orthe two portions move forwardly together until the main portion reachesthe limit of its travel and then the front portion pulls away from it,or the two portions move together and then the extensible front portionmoves outwardlyf, away from the body portion, before the body portionhas been pulled out to its full limit. Especially if the drawer containsa number of files, the weight of which is borne on the bottom of themain portion of the drawer, and the drawer handle is pulled forwardlyquickly, the pull required to overcome the friction between the twotelescoping portions of the drawer is less than the pull required toovercome the inertia of the illes; in such case the front portion of thedrawer will rst be extended. On the other hand, if the handle is pulledout slowly, the friction between the two telescoping portions will drawthe main portion of the drawer along until the main portion is stoppedand the front portion extended relatively thereto.

If desired, in order to insure that the front portion o f the drawerwill be moved to extended position relative to the body portion initiallupon pulling out the drawer handle, a suitable f iction detent may beprovided. One is illustrated in Fig. 7, which is a plan section of therear right corner of the cabinet and associated corner of the y aaoaossdrawer. Here a spring nger 55 carried by the cabinet engages a slot in adrawer-carried detent member 56. The arrangement is such that the pullrequired to release the nger 55 and freev the drawer is greater thanthat required to overcome the friction between the telescopingportionsof the drawer, so that the rearward or body 'portion of the drawer isheld back until after the front portion is extended.

When the drawer, with the front portion extended, is closed bypushingfon the drawer front or on the handle, the body portion of thedrawer is returned to its inmost position and the extensible frontportion telescoped to bring the drawer front into closed position withthe cabinet. In closing, whether the telescoping takes place rst or therearward movement of the main body portiontakes place rst, is relativelyimmaterial and depends chiefly upon whether the push is a sudden one ora steady one.

The rear compressor 51 for the illes is normally set at a rearwardlyinclined angle, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It is adjustableforwardly and rearwardly along the main portion of the drawer to adaptitself to the total thicknesses of the files. The rear compressor 51will later be described in more detail.

When the drawer is first opened for inspection orremoval of les, it ismost convenient that all of the les 58 and guides 59 be rearwardlyinclined for more ready inspection of the guide and file tabs in theprocess of finding the le to be inspected or removed. For the purpose ofinsuring that when the drawer is pulled out for initial inspection, thefiles and guides will all be tilted back in this convenient position, Iprovide a front compressor 60 pivoted by a pintle 6| a at its lower edgeto the forward end of the main drawer bottom 31, rather than to thedrawer front or extensible front portion of the drawer. The piano-hingepivotal mounting of the lower end of the front compressor 60 and thefront end of the drawer bottom 31, is shown in plan in Fig. 14 and inelevation at Fig. 5.

The front compressor 60 is swung about its pintle 6| by an actuatingmechanism so arranged that when the front and main portions of the bodyare in fully telescoped relation, as in Fig. -3, the compressor is swungrearwardly into substantial parallelism with the rear compressor 51.This is the position which the front compressor 60 will assume when thedrawer is fully closed, as in Fig. 3. When the front portion of thedrawer is expanded or extended, as in Fig. 4, the front compressor 60is. swung forwardly to a similar but forward inclined position. Theactuating mechanism for accomplishing this swinging of the frontcompressor 60, in response to the telescoping and expansion of the frontportion of the drawer relative to the main portion, includes a pair ofsledrunner shaped arms 6| of channel shaped crosssection pivotallymounted upon the pintle Sla, one at each lateral edge of the frontcompressor (Fig. 5) and interconnected at their upper ends by aconnecting rod 62 which extends within the wedge-shaped space formed bya V-shaped channel 63 secured to the front side of the front compressor60 and extending forwardly therefrom. The rod 62 working in the channel63 constitutes a lost motion connection between the arms 6| and thefront compressor, but the arms and the compressor are urged arcuatelyapart by a pair of springs 64 in the respective channel arms 6|. Eachspring 64 comprises several turns about the pintle 6| a, one legextending within the channel of the arm 6| and the other leg extendingwithin the lateral marginal bead of the compressor 60, as bestillustrated in Fig.,6. Ihe lost motion referred to', available againstthe resilience of the springs 64, permits the compressor 60, despite arigid positioning of the arms 6|, to swing forwardly to adapt thecompressor to increased or 'uneven thicknesses of the files or guidesnear their upper edges. In other words, the front compressor 60 does notnecessarily have to assume a position in parallelism with the rearcompressor 51, if the nature ofthe illes precludes it.

' 'I'he channel arms 6| are swung forwardly and backwardly by slidingconnection with the drawer front, which is conveniently accomplished byslots 65 in lugs 66 struck rearwardly from the rear wall 50 of thedrawerfront and into horizontal position.- one of the arms 6|, passingslidably through each of the slots 65. The curvature given the upper endof the arm 6| is that required in view of the relative forward movementof the pintle 6 la. By this connection between the drawer front and thearms 6|, the arms are pulled forwardly to swing the front compressor 60to its forward position when the front portionv of the drawer isextended, and the arms are moved rearwardly to swing the compressorrearwardly back to the position of Fig. 3, when the two portions of thedrawer. are fully telescoped.

Rubber bumpers 61 are provided on the rear face of the drawer front forquiet operation of the compressor when it is swung to its forwardposition. Where a locking rod 68 extends longitudinally oi the drawerfor the purpose of holding the guides in place by passing through holesin the projecting tab portions of the guide which ride in the channel38, the guide locking rod is preferably made to telescope. In thedrawings I have illustrated the locking rod as comprising an inner orslide rod 68a telescoping with a tubular rod portion 68h. The foward endof the rod 68a protrudes through the drawer front where it carries aknurled screw 68e threaded in the drawer front for removably holding therod in place. The portion 68a of the rod moves with the drawer front;the tubular portion 68h stays with the main body of the drawer and isheld against longitudinal displacement relative thereto by a spring clip69 fixed to the bottom web of the channel 38 and having an upwardlyturned end bearing against the rod portion 68a and embracing the end ofthe tubular portion 68h. When the entire rod is to be removed, the screw68o is loosened and the portion 68a pulled out through the drawer front,together with the tubular portion 68h whose release is effected bydepressing the clip 69.

The drawer latch here illustrated is generally similar t that disclosedin the previously mentioned Clark Patent No. 1,963,954, and comprises alatch bolt 10 working within the hollow drawer front 42 actuated by anexternal thumb piece 1| mounted conveniently near the handle 53 andagainst the iniluence of a latch spring 12.. The outer end of the latchbolt .10 is rearwardly oiset and enters the hollow protruding lateralportion 52 of the drawer front formed as previously mentioned, by thereturn bending of the lateral edge of the front wall 49 of the drawerfront. Here it engages a cabinet-carried latch hook 13 which, as thedrawer front is pushed into closed position, protrudes through a slot 14in the rear face of the hollow portion 52.

The cabinet-carried latch hook 13 however,

closure of the Clark patent, is mounted directly upon the upright 24 bymeans of an upturned bracket portion 15 integral with the latch hook 13.A lug 16 struck from the latch hook 13 is offset outwardly from theplane of the bracket portion 15 and enters a slot 11 in the inner webface of the channel upright 24. The hook 13 is further locked in placeby the screw 18. The forward end of the top ange of the associated casestrip 21 is cut away, as indicated at 19, to provide clearance wherebythe mounting of the latch hook 13 is directly upon the upright 24 andquite independent of the case strip 21. This makes for a more accuratepositioning of the latch hook 13, despite any manufacturing inaccuraciesin the case strip. It also -permits the outer end of the case strip,upon removal of its locking screw 32, to be lifted upwardly to disengagethe lugs 38 from the slots 3| and thereby the removal of the case stripfor repair or replacement, all without disturbing the latch hook 13 orthe accuracy of its position. Any violent jerks upon the handle 53without releasing the latch, are transferred directly to the upright 24which directly distributes the pull over the entire cabinet; there is notendency, by jerking of the still latched drawer, to loosen the secureanchoring of the case strip.

When a filing cabinet is provided with a general lock, merely engagingthe general lock, which is usually arranged at the rear of the cabinet,with the rearward end of the drawer would not suffice because it wouldnot prevent the extension of the telescoping parts. To provide for thisI have shown in Figs. 2 and 15, a locking extension strip 88 disposedalong the side of the drawer and anchored at its forward end, by meansof a strap 8| cut from, and outwardly offset from, the right side wall39, (Figs. 2 and 1l) which strip 8| is engaged by a pair of opposedspaced ears struck from the strip 88, and with the rearward end of thestrip 88 working in a channel-shaped way 82 secured along the rightdrawer side 39 (Figs. 2 and '1.)l The rearward end of the strip 88 isslotted to peninsulate a downwardly extending and slightly offset catch83. When the drawer is closed, as in the instance of the upper drawer ofFig. 2, this catch83 engages behind the end of a rearwardly extendingspring nger 84. One of these spring fingers 84 is secured to thevertically reciprocal general lock bar 85 adjacent each drawer position.If the drawer is closed while the lock bar 85 is down, as in theinstance of Fig. 2, the catch 83 rides along the inner surface of thesomewhat obliquely disposed spring finger 84, pushing the latteroutwardly until the catch 813 has passed the end of the finger, when thefinger snaps inwardly to abut the forward edge of the catch 83. Here thecatch 83 is locked against forward movement until the lock bar 85,carrying the spring fingers 84, is elevated. Through the strip 88 andits connection with the extensible drawer side 39', the drawer front andthe entire drawer is locked against withdrawal from the cabinet.

The vertically reciprocable lock bar 85 is positioned and guided by lugs86 (Fig. 7) struck out from the outer faces of the webs of the adjacentcase strips 21. The general lock bar 85 is raised and lowered by meansof a bracket 81 at its upper end, which has a bearing portion 88embracing the offset crank portion 89 of the general lock shaft 98. Therearward end of the shaft 88 is journaled in a bracket 9| and at itsforward end is connected with a key control cylinder o 2, .I V 2,2701088lock 92 presented in the front face of the top 23. When the cylinderlock 92 is turned by its key in one direction, it turns the shaft 98through 180 degrees to lift the lock bar 85 and unlock the drawers; whenturned in the opposite direction, it lowers the lock bar 85 to lock thedrawers when closed.

The back compressor51 comprises a plate 92 reinforced by rearwardlyturned flanges at its margins and supported by brackets 93 (Figs. 3 and8). The transverse (in reference to the drawer as a whole) legs 94, aresecured to the rearward side of the plate 92 by screws 95 andpositioning lugs 96 struck rearwardly from the plate 92. The brackets 93extend laterally beyond theplate 92 and into the channels 48 formed inthe upper edges of the drawer sides 39, where the brackets 93 carryforwardly extending tapered legs 91. Each bracket leg 91 is pivoted at98l to a compressor slide 99 of channel cross-section and reciprocablymounted in the channel 48. The front end of each bracket leg 91 isengaged between the web of the slide 99 and an outwardly offset lip |88.The lip |88 carries an inwardly pressed detent orv catch portion |8|above which the forward end of the leg 91 of the bracket 93 normallyrests. The leg 91 in side elevation (Fig. 3) is of taper shape so thatthe upper edge rides along the underside of the top flange of thechannel shaped slide 99. By this means the rear compressor 51 isnormally maintained in the rearwardly tipped angular position of Fig. 3even though it be adjusted backward or forward to accommodate thequantity of les.

If it is-desired to tilt the rear compressor 51 to vertical position, asfor instance when the drawer is full and the compressor 51 is back tothe rear wall 4| and stillmore space is required, the compressor isforcibly rotated counter-clockwise (Fig. 3) to overcome the latchingeffect of the detents |8| by springing the lips |88 inwardly toward eachother to permit the down springing of the legs 91 to their lower oralternate positions where the detent |8| will snap beyond the upperedges of the forward ends of the legs 91 and hold the compressor 51 invertical position.

Referring to Fig. 8, which shows a rear elevation of the compressor, therear. compressor 51 `is locked in adjusted position longitudinally ofthe drawer by a pair of locking levers |82, one on each side of thecompressor. Each locking lever |82 is pivoted upon the screw 95 andextends outwardly beyond the lateral edge of the plate 92 andimmediately behind the L-shaped bracket 93 and engages one of the teeth|83 formed in the flange which depends from' the inner'edge of the topflange of the channel 48 at the upper edge of the drawer side 39. Theinner ends of the levers |82 pass slidably through slots |04 in therelease member |85. The release member |85 is of channel-shapedcrosssection, with the channel facing the rear side of the plate 92 andthe channel sides offset into parallelism with the plate 92 and guidedfor vertical reciprocation thereagainst by guide lugs |86 struck fromthe plate 9 2.

The release member |85 carries a finger hole |81 whereby the operatormay conveniently lift the release member |85 as guided by the lugs |88,and against the tension of a return spring |88 to swing upwardly to thedotted-line position of Fig. 8. The inner ends of the levers |82 passthrough the slots |84 in the Iside flanges of the channel-shaped releasemember |85. In this way the levers |02 are disengaged from the teeth |03to permit the longitudinal movement of the back compressor to thedesired position.

'I'he levers |02 and legs 94 of the L-shaped brackets 93 are preferablyfurther positioned against improper displacement from the compressor bypassing them through slots 09 in the rearwardly directed lateral angesof the plate 92. /c

Forward movement of the rear compressor 51 is limited by a stop I|0struck in from the web of the channel 40 near the forward end thereofwhich is abutted by the forward end of the adjacent slide 99 when thecompressor is moved to its forwardmost positiom/ In Fig. 17 I have showna modified form of pivotal supporting bracket for the back compressor.This substitutes a positive lock for the bracket instead of a frictiondetent. In Fig. 17 the bracket 93 is pivoted to the slide 99', but thefree end of the arm portion of the bracket 93' is conformed to present atapered free end. A locking plate |08 slidably mounted by the returnflanges of the channel-like slide 99', carries an offset ange |09, whoserespective upper and lower edges may engage the upper and lower edges|06 and |01 of the free end of the bracket 93' for locking the bracketin either of its alternate angular positions. To change to the alternateposition, the locking plate |08 is frictionally slid away from the pivot98, as by manually engaging the oiset flange 0, as far as the stop willpermit. 'I'his clears the flange |09 from the path of the end of thebracket.

While I have described and illustrated these specific embodiments of myinvention, I contemplate that many changes and substitutions may be madewithout departing from the scope or spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a ling drawer to be slidably received in acabinet and having a file receiving and supporting body portion and adrawer front having a telescoping sliding support on the body portionfor forward extension relative to the body portion from a verticalrearward position to a vertical forward position, a drawer suspensionfor slidably mounting the drawer in the cabinet, a front compressorpivoted adjacent its bottom edge to the drawer body portion, and meansconnecting the front compressor with the drawer front and Aoperating toswing the upper edge of the compressor forwardly. relative to its pivotas the drawer front is extended to its forward position relative to thedrawer body.

2. A drawer for slidable reception in a filing cabinet, comprising abottom for supporting illes and a front mounted on the drawer forextension relative to the bottom from a rearward vertical position to aforward vertical position, a front compressor for the les pivotedadjacent its lower edge to the forward edge of the bottom, and mechanismoperated by the extension ofthe drawer front for swinging the frontcompressor about its pivot from a rearwardly inclined position to aforwardly inclined position.

3. A filing cabinet drawer of sheet metal comprising a body having abottom wall, a rear end wall and a pair of side walls with channelsformed in the side walls along their upper edges,

and a drawer front yhaving rearwardly extending side walls with channelsembracing and in telescoping cooperation with the channels of the drawerbody for slidably mounting the drawer front on the body for extensionforwardly from the body, the rst mentioned channels opening inwardly forreceiving and slidably mounting compressor-carrying slide members.

4. The combination with a filing drawer for slidable reception in acabinet and having a file receiving body portion with a bottom on whichthe files rest and having a drawer front, means for slidably mountingthe drawer front on the body portion for movement between an extendedforward vertical position and a rearward vertical position, a frontcompressor pivotally mounted on the drawer body, and compressor swingingmeans connected with the drawer 'front and operating to swing thecompressor to a forwardly inclined position when the drawer front is inits forward extended position and to swing the compressor to arearwardly inclined position when the drawer front is in its rearwardposition, said swinging means including resilient means yielding toresistance of the les to rearward swinging of the compressor.

5. The combination of a ling drawer for slidable reception in a cabinet,a bottom for the drawer for supporting'les received within the drawer, afront for the drawer, means for slidably mounting the front on thedrawer for extension therefrom in vertical position, a front compressorfor lthe files pivotally mounted at its lower edge to the forward edgeof the bottom, an arm pivoted on the bottom and having a curved portionat its end, a slotted member carried by the front through which thecurved portion of the arm extends, a lost motion connection between thearm and the compressor, and spring 'means urging the compressor awayfrom the arm to take up the lost motion of said connection, the drawerfront. in-moving to its extended position relative vto the bottom,swinging the upper edge of the compressor forwardlytoa forwardlyinclined position.

6. The combination of a ling cabinet, a drawer therefor having a bodyand an extensible front, a drawer suspension for slidably mounting thedrawer body in the cabinet. means for mounting the front on the body forsliding extension therefrom in vertical position, a pull handle on thedrawer front, and cooperating latch means on the drawer body and on thecabinet tending to hold the body against outward withdrawal but yieldingto permit withdrawal under pull on the handle sufficient to extend thefront from the body.

7. A filing cabinet drawer comprising a body, means for slidablysupporting the body in a cabinet, a front for the drawer, and means forslidably mounting the front onthe body for extension in verticalposition from an inward vertical position to an outer extended, positionrelative to the body, the body having a bottomfor supporting engagementwith the lower edges of illes received in the drawer, the drawer bodycarrying forward stop means for the base of the files for maintainingwithout forward` increase the file supporting area of the drawer bottomwhen the front is extended.l

. JAMES R. CLARK.

